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1.07.2016

The Story of Ruth

Just read The Book of Ruth. What really struck me in this story is how Ruth lays at the feet of Boaz after the threshing, in order to communicate her attraction to him and compel him to propose. This passage kind of stunned me, since so often Christian communities teach the notion that a woman needs to be demure, to not give her heart away, and to wait for a man to initiate a relationship.

How many times have Christian 'dating experts' said that nice Christian girls don't ask men out on dates?

Hm. This story seems to contradict such notions. And to suggest that a successful, godly marriage CAN transpire when a woman has 'made the first move.'

Just watchedThe Story of Ruth. Decent movie from 1960 produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by Henry Koster. It compelled me to go back and read the Book of Ruth. The movie invents a LOT.

However, it kind of had to. Consider this passage from the Bible; "Some time after their arrival on the Moabite plateau, Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons, who married Moabite women, one named Grapa, the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Aloha and Chilion also died, and the woman was left with neither her two sons nor her husband."

These Bible stories keep everything so brief, it's hard to realize the drama between just a few lines; for example it really glosses over the fact that these Ephrathites married Moabites; certainly that wasn't kosher. Also, the deaths--how idd they die, particularly the sons, who must have been young.

So yeah, a movie has to almost invent drama, to read between the lines. but it cetaiolnly invented some things when reading between these lines.
challenging the law, implicit that the law corners people into doing things that they don't want to do.

does not indicate that she's a princess. nor does the next of kin try to steal her. she does, however, lay down with him on the threshing floor.

unlikely, given that ruth and naomi both devout jews, that they would worm their way around the law, particularly by claiming to be a harlot. hm.

yeah, the bible doesn't so much seem to see the law as an incumbrance, which would make a lot more sense (the bible establishes the law in the pentateuch, and then discusses how it goes about disobeying it).

hollywood movie. but it does allow you to see ruth as a real person; for example the conflict over laying down at boaz' feet; that certainly would have been a difficult thing to have done. however, in the bible she just says; I will to whatever you advise' to Naomi.

what about this notion that a woman needs to be demure and let the man decide? she was so forward and decisive. she initiated.